Last Updated on Thursday, 27 October 2011 22:02

Hits: 580

Jamain, Guitar and Bass Teacher

Jamain teaches Private, Beginner and Advanced Acoustic and Electric Guitar and Bass to students from age 9 to adult.  He is comfortable in all styles including rock, pop, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and classical.  His particular interest and specialty is in advanced Jazz guitar.  With a ready smile, calm demeanor, and informed communication, he establishes instant rapport with students and their families.  He's had enough experience in teaching to have perfected his craft and delivers lessons with purpose and results.  Students will learn theory, technique and how to read music and tablature while playing familiar and popular music.  What you will learn will depend on what you want to learn, what you are able to play, and able to learn to play.  Each student's lesson program is different.

Jamain is a lifelong guitar player.  He started playing at age six.  He has been gigging since age 13.  He has been teaching guitar since he was a teenager.  He has worked full time as a teacher in Duluth, MN and now at Rocktown Music.  He took lessons in childhood and studied Music Performance with an Emphasis on Jazz Studies at University of MN- Duluth.    Rarely is this man seen without a guitar in his hands.  And if he isn't holding a guitar, he's probably talking about guitars, guitar players, and good music.  What do you do besides music?  "Nothing!" He chuckles.  "Just kidding."  He also enjoys playing basketball and video games and playing with his kids.

With a performing career as long as Jamain's, there's bound to be some stories.  His first recital, at age 10, is a pretty good one.  He had worked really hard on an incredibly challenging classical piece by Paginini.  The recital was in a big auditorium with a large crowd.  It was kind of an event.  "So I get up and I'm rocking it but there was this place that always gave me trouble, so I get to that spot..." He just stopped playing for a moment to collect his thoughts and begin again, but by that time, the audience, unfamiliar with the piece had already begun their applause.  They thought he was done.  "Everyone is clapping and cheering... but I was so mad at myself, I knew I had messed up...There was maybe 8 bars left that I never did get to finish.  It wasn't that I 'flubbed' it, I just stopped."   It's a common experience for a musician to be more critical of himself then his audience is. 

Music has created many interesting opportunites for Jamain.  He had the chance to do a show with a hip hop duo from Minneapolis called Ill Chemistry. For this show, they were collaborating with the Classical Ballet Academy company.  They did a production in St. Paul at the Fitzgerald Theater.  "Usually a gig is just a gig. At a bar or a conference or whatever.  It was pretty cool.  I never thought I would be part of a ballet before.  It's just cool to be part of something different, a once in a lifetime kind of a show."

As far as advice for students, Jamain encourages routine practice.  "Stick with a practice schedule, being accountable to your practice and playing.  Its a lot of hard work at first, and having [a lesson teacher] with you through that makes a big difference."